Jointed toy figure



May 14, 1946. R. 5.. PAIGE 301mm]: TOY FIGURE Filed Aug. 11, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTO R A /CHAAD 524/05 d ATTORNEYS Ma.y 14, 1946.

R. E. PAIGE JIOINTED TOY FIGURE Filed Aug. 11, 1,944

v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VINVEVNTOR Axcv/Ako 7 194/65 f v ATTORNEYS Patented May 14, 1946 ST-A' EES .RA'IIENT 2,400'3208 iI0IfiTED TGYFIGURE inch aid PaiejNWW-ork, Y. 'Rffiilf'iitionfiugust 11, 1 941 se i'fit l 1605513399 23 of the slits 20 and 2| respectively. By slitting the members I8 and I9 in the arcuate shape shown in the drawings, the slit ends of the members are formed with hook-shaped terminal portions 24 and 25 respectively, which portions perform the function of maintaining the members I8 and I9 in substantially parallel relation when they are pivotally joined together as best illustrated in Figure. 4.

To effect a pivotal interlocking connection between the members I8 and I9, the same are brought together in side by side edge relation as shown in Figure 3 with the open ends of the slits 29 and 2I in confronting relation. The slit 20 is inserted into the slit 2|, or vice versa, until the closed ends 22 and 23 abut. As the slit portions are brought into interfitting engagement a slight turning movement may be imparted to one member relative to the other to facilitate the easy sliding of the members to their pivotalposition relative to each other. The slit ends of the members are threaded together so that the terminal extensions 24 and 25 thereof overlap the members I9 and I 8 respectively at the rear thereof, whereby the reversely disposed hump-like portions 26 and 21 are visible from the front.

When the members I9 and I9 are pivotally interlocked, the same are slightly flexed at the pivotal joint which places them under a tension, the force of which tends to cause the members to assume a position in forward angular relation to each other. Such force is arrested or counteracted by the terminal extension portions 24 and 25 which respectively engage the members I9 and I8 respectively, and which maintains the members I8 and I9 in substantially parallel relation as shown in Figures and 6 during pivotal movement of the members upon their common axis X. The members I8 and [9 may be turned about a radius of 360. It will therefore be understood that by manipulation of the pivotally jointed parts of the figure Ill, natural and grotesque poses may be imparted to the figure, which to a child, will be most amusing. The toy figure I9 also has educational features, for the various parts are capable of being separated and reassembled at will.

The friction between the overlapped jointed ends of the adjacent members is suflicient to maintain the members in a fixed adjusted position, whereby manual manipulation is necessary to turn the members relative to each other to suit the fancy of an operator.

The toy figure I9 may be termed a single plane or two dimensional figure which is not self-supporting, but it may be made to stand up by lacing it against a wall or other vertical structure. In Figures 7 to 9 inclusive I have illustrated my novel form of interlocking pivoted joint embodied in a three dimensional toy animal figure 30 which when set up for use, is self-standing.

The toy animal figure 30 comprises a set of separate cardboard pieces which is assembled by means of my novel pivotal interlocking joint, pro duces a figure of a four-legged animal simulating a horse. Other animals or objects may be designed in keeping with the features of my invention now to be explained. The toy animal figure 30 includes a body member 3I, pairs of fore legs 3232, pairs of rear legs 33-33, a neck member 34 anda head member 35. All of the aforementioned parts are made of stiff flexible cardboard and are joined together by separable interlocking pivotal joints similar in construction to the joints hereinbefore described and shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive.

The body member 3I is formed from a single blank of cardboard folded downwardly upon itself along a top medial longitudinal fold 36 to provide like side panels 31-31, the free edges of which are shaped to simulate that of the body of a horse. The fore and hind sets of legs 32 and 33 are connected to the lower free edges of the side panels 37-31 by pivot joints G and H, Each of the legs 32 and 33 includes two sections pivotally connected together at J and K respectively.

The neck section 34 is also formed from a single blank of cardboard folded upon itself along a medial fold 38 to form two like side panels 3939. One end of the panels 39-39 are respectively connected to the front ends of the panels 31 by interlocking pivot joints L.

The head section 35 is also formed of a single blank of cardboard folded upon itself along the fold 40 located at the nose portion thereof to form a pair of like head shaped panels 4I4I. The free ends of the panels II--4I are respectively connected to the panels 39-39 of the neck section by interlocking pivot joints M.

The interlocking pivot joints G, H, J, K, L, and M are identical in construction to the joint F hereinbefore specifically described whereby the legs, body, neck, and head of the toy animal figure may be turned relative to each other to impart natural and grotesque antics to the figure.

The toy animal figure 30 is capable of standing alone, but only when the length of the fold 38 of the neck section 34 is disposed at an angle relative to the length of the fold 36 of the body section 3I, due to the inwardly confining action set up between the lapping portions 24 and 25, and hump portions 26 and 21 of each joint L. This confining action between the lapping parts of the joints L maintain the toy figure in a substantially inverted V'-shape in end elevation, whereby the pairs of legs 32 and 33 are spread apart and form a support for the figure. If the neck section is swung to a position where the fold edge 38 thereof is in coextensive alinement with the fold edge 36 of the body section 30, the figure would collapse and the panels 39-39, and-3'I-3l thereof would flatten out. Thus it will be understood that in a three-dimension toy figure, the novel pivot interlocking joint has the added function of maintaining side panels of two folded sections, such as the body section 3| and neck section-34 in a spread apart set up position when the figure is in use.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, it will be understood that the specific separable interlocking pivotal joint shown in detail in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive may be embodied in single plane toy figures such as the cowboy figure IIl shown in Figures 1 and 2, or in a three-dimensional toy figure such as the horse 30 shown in Figures 7 to 9 inclusive. By the use of such pivotal joint, a varied number of subjects are possible and I do not-limit my invention to the subjects herein shown-and described. nor to anything less than the invention as set forthin the appended claims hereunto annexed.

Having thus described the invention,- what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a jointed toy figure, a pair of fiat members having overlapping portions, the overlapping portions of the members having complementary slits extending from opposed edges of the members, the slit of one member fitting into the slit of the other member with the closed ends of the slits abutting and constituting the pivotal axis of the joint between said members.

2. In a jointed toy figure, a pair of flat cardboard members having overlapping portions, each overlapping portion having a slit extending inwardly from a side edge thereof, the slit of one member extending from a side edge opposite to that side edge from which the slit of the other member extends, the slit of one member interfitting into the slit of the other member with the ends of the slits abutting and with. the overlapping portions of the members in laterally flexed condition, the abutting ends of the slits constituting the pivotal axis of the joined members and about Which they may freely turn.

3. In a jointed toy figure as set forth in claim 2 in which the flexing of the members at their pivoted ends imparts a lateral tension thereto, and cooperating means on the overlapping slit portions of the members acting to arrest the lateral tension thereon to maintain the members in substantially parallel relation.

4. In a jointed toy figure, a pair of flat cardboard members, like complementary slits extending inwardly from opposed side edges of adjacent ends thereof, the slit of one member interfitting into the slit of the other member with the terminal end portion of the slit end of one member flatly overlapping the other member to effect an interlocking pivotal connection between said members.

5. In a jointed toy figure, a pair of flat cardboard members having adjacent ends overlapping, like reversely curved complementary slits extending inwardly from opposed side edges of the overlapping end portions of the respective members, the slit of one member fitting into the slit of the other member with the ends of the slits in abutment, the abutting ends of the slits constituting the pivotal axis upon which either of the members may be turned.

6. In a jointed toy figure as set forth in claim 5 in which the slit of each member provides a flexable hook-shaped terminal end portion thereon, the terminal end portion of one member having pressing engagement with the other member and acting to counteract the tension between the members caused by the flexing of the terminal .end portions thereof to maintain the members in substantially parallel relation.

RICHARD E. PAIGE. 

